It looks like I’ve got a theme going this week. There are good neighbors, and there are bad neighbors. That’s how it is on the homefront. I’ve already gone over that in the last two days.

In the workplace, there are leaders and there are … well, let’s just say I’ll let a “special guest commentator” handle the opposing viewpoint tomorrow for that “other side of the coin.”

Former Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let me say this about someone who I see as a great example of a leader: Tony Dungy, former head coach of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the world champion Indianapolis Colts. I’ve been a Colts fan ever since I was in the sixth grade in elementary school, and one of the great moments I’ve ever had in all my years as a Colts fan has been the opportunity to meet Tony Dungy in person several years ago, to speak with him briefly, and to listen to him speak.

Coach Dungy in person is just the way he comes across on television. He’s very soft-spoken. He’s not a “screamer.” He teaches, he mentors, he motivates, he encourages, he inspires everyone to give their absolute best.

That’s my idea of a true leader.

The following is all based on a picture I’ve seen on Facebook a couple of times now, so I can’t claim the material totally as my own, although at least 90% of it comes from my own thoughts and experiences. I sure do appreciate the message that it puts out there. It’s something that should be posted in every workplace, and if it were I believe the workplace would be a bit more … pleasant, shall we say?

I like leaders, and I like to see them in the workplace. I like to work among them as well. They’re the kind of people who aren’t afraid to offer some creative input, the kind of stuff that inspires ingenuity.

I also like leaders who aren’t afraid to listen to the creative input of others, including those who have positions below them in an organizational chart. That kind of leader inspires openness, a certain level of comfort that everyone’s opinion matters and is valuable.

I see that kind of philosophy preached a lot in workplaces these days. I haven’t always seen it practiced. I’ve worked in a place where I would offer input, and the person above me would start talking right over me like I wasn’t even there. It happened more than once, and that person knew what they were doing. That’s a very good way to stifle creativity and individual development.

I like leaders.

A leader is a coach, someone who sees it as part of their role to make sure the fundamentals are clear after communicating them clearly, in either written or verbal form. Fundamentals … it’s like a sport. So many businesses have teams that handle specific areas, and each team needs a good coach.

A leader makes you feel good about going in to work every day. They provide a sense of goodwill.

By the same token, a leader generates enthusiasm. Under a good leader, you work to make sure a job is done the right way. You’d do anything to please a good leader.

A leader knows how to say the word “we.” It comes down again to a sports analogy: there is no “I” in “team.”

A leader doesn’t always gripe and moan when mistakes are made and blame others when something breaks. A leader can bring it to a person’s attention, but they’re also willing to fix a breakdown themselves without pounding a person down.

Then there are those leaders who aren’t afraid to do what it takes to share their knowledge by showing how certain things are done, going through a knowledge transfer. That’s part of another leadership quality: developing people.

A leader gives credit for good things a team member does, letting everyone know about it, offering positive recognition.

A strong leader knows how to ask for things.

A strong leader inspires, by saying, “Let’s go.”

These are all things that serve to motivate people. Motivated people will “bust a gut” for you.

We’ll see what the “guest commentator” has for a rebuttal tomorrow. As always … stay tuned.

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About A View From The Middle (Class)

Hi, my name's John. I've thought about this blogging stuff for a number of years now. I got into it for real on November 10, 2011, after suddenly losing my job in late October. I've been blogging ever since, and I kept it up over a period of a year and four months of being unemployed or under-employed, to try and paint a picture of what being jobless with a family to support can be like. Finally, on February 28, 2013, I got a better job that puts us back into the "middle class." I won't stop blogging, though. Who knows, maybe I can actually turn this blogging stuff into a way to earn a living someday!
If you go to my blog at https://viewfrommiddleclass.wordpress.com/ and click on my About page, it'll tell you a lot about me -- maybe more than you ever wanted to know. I'm just your average, laid-back guy who's GOING TO MAKE IT IN THIS WORLD, despite all the roadblocks thrown in the way.
I also launched a "niche" blog on music at http://thecrossovermusicchannel.blogspot.com/ that I'm very excited about because of the popularity of music playlist articles here.
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